


Los(v)er like me

by emmisaysmufasa



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Bisexual Mike Hanlon, Bisexual Richie Tozier, Friendship, Gay Bill Denbrough, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Gay Stanley Uris, Glee AU, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lesbian Beverly Marsh, M/M, McKinley High, good old cheesy love between friends, idk about ben yet... we shall seeeee
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-16 14:09:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 7,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13055574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmisaysmufasa/pseuds/emmisaysmufasa
Summary: A losers club glee AU. I'm sorry. I am aware it's 2017.





	1. richie, mike, bill

**Author's Note:**

> this is for fun and not profit, etc. I'm on tumblr as @losersgazebos

Richie Tozier was starting his first year at Mckinley High School. His first thought upon seeing it was, "well, it's better than home."  
As he got pushed by a tough jock-type kid, he cringed. Maybe not better by a whole lot, but better nevertheless.  
He turned to face a piece of paper on the bulletin board- Glee Club 2008 Signups.  
"Fuck, as if," Richie thought, though he curiously took a look at the names of people signed up.  
Betty Ripsom, Sophie Ives, Ben Hanscom, Hugh J'Dick... that one looked more like a fake name to Richie.  
Grinning, he had an idea, and pulled out a pen from his pocket.  
And that was why, fifteen minutes later, as Richie sat in his first class of the day, William Schuester sighed and crumpled up the sheet.

Two classrooms away, Mike Hanlon sat in English, listening intently, trying to ignore all the whispering from the kids behind him.  
They were learning Shakespeare, and the mix of history and fiction fascinated Mike.  
It was far from his first Shakespeare class, but he was a student who liked to try and learn something new each day.  
The bell went, and students grabbed their bags, having packed everything while watching the clock.  
Ms Jenkins tried to remind everyone of their homework, over the loud chatter, Ophelia already long forgotten as plans for after school arose from the groups of students. From everyone, really, but Mike. Despite being at the school for a good amount of time, and always coming across as friendly, he had never really made friends.  
He was hoping that this year, Junior year, could change that. Or maybe he was doomed to never fit in, be the stuck out thumb in the crowd.  
Sighing, he heaved up his books and gave Ms Jenkins a nod on his way out, making his way to second period.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"  
Eddie Kaspbrak, Bill Denbrough and Stanley Uris were grouped together at a table in Geography, though not much work was getting done.  
"I read that at your bar mitzvah, the rabbi sliced the tip of your dick off!" Eddie replied defensively.  
"No! I went up there and read from my Torah, and then suddenly, I became a man."  
"H-hang on. Wh-what's a Torah?"  
Before Stan could explain, there was a noise as the door was pushed open.  
Clearly late, Ben Hanscom rushed in awkwardly, headed towards the back.  
"Mr Hanscom, anything you'd like to say?" asked Ms Doosenbury, sternly.  
"Sorry ma'am, uh, the halls were busy." Ms Doosenbury frowned at him but nodded anyway, and continued to talk.  
Bill knew the hall wasn't busy. Ben had most likely been harassed by Henry Bowers and his gang again. Being short, awkward and chubby made Ben a target for the boys.  
But Bill wasn't about to try and stick up for Ben, a kid he barely knew- especially when the only thing keeping Henry from going after Bill, Stan and Eddie was the recent death of Bill's little brother, Georgie. Not that anyone really talked about it. Bill barely ever talked about it. So it sat within him, and in the air around him and anyone he talked to- them knowing, he was the Boy Whose Brother Died.  
As Eddie and Stan talked, Bill turned and found himself studying Ben Hanscom.  
He was on the shorter side, and chubby, as well as being unmistakably awkward- but he seemed nice enough.  
He was smart enough to not try to report Henry to anyone, and while he kept to himself, Bill knew he was a good student.  
Mostly when he saw Ben, he had his headphones on, lost in his own world. Bill kind of wished he had something to disappear into, sometimes.  
Something to distract him from the awkward reality of high school, and home. So much left unspoken.


	2. mr schuester, richie

Mr Schuester took a deep breath, then walked into the music room.  
Not a terrible turnout, surprisingly. He recognised Sophie Ives, and vaguely knew the chubby boy who sat in the back, headphones on.  
A few other students were there, but didn't look terribly committed.  
"Okay, cool!" Mr Schuester clapped his hands together, making Sophie jump a little, and another girl in a Cheerios uniform drop a pen.  
"Now, I know everyone hates these games, but if we're gonna work as a team, we need to know a bit about each other. Don't you think?"  
Everyone stared back at him, uncommittedly.  
Mr Schuester shuffled his feet. "So-"  
He was cut off by the door opening, and Mr Figgins entering with a young boy Mr Schuester hadn't seen before.  
He was staring at the ground, smirking a little.  
"William Schuester, I caught this young man vandalising school property, and I think your little glee club could help teach young Richard Tozier a thing or two."  
Mr Schuester looked at the boy in surprise. "Oh- well I mean... signups are usually voluntary..." (Finn Hudson doesn't count! he told himself)  
"William, I am afraid it is glee club or detention! And you need more members, no?" He left, leaving the boy standing there, his hands moving slightly, not so much nerves as excess energy.  
"O-okay. Well, this is good, we have more people for the game, so. Let's start. Richard, how about you go and sit down next to uh...." he gestured at a boy in the back.  
"Stan."  
"Yes, Stan." 

When Richie sat down, Mr Schuester decided to get the ball rolling.  
"Okay so! I'm gonna say my name, three fun facts about myself, and my favourite song at the moment, then we'll, uh, go around the room. Sound okay?"  
More blank faces.  
"Alright. So uh. I'm Will Schuester, I have taken my glee club to regionals, inspired them to write their own music, and had several couples propose to each other in this room. My favourite song is Hail the Chap by Mr B, Gentleman Rhymer."  
No one reacted, until Richie leaned over to Stan. "You reckon anyone's fucked in this room?"  
"Yes, Richard? Do you want to go next?"  
Richie sighed, and Stan smirked a little.  
"I'm Richie, uh, I moved here because my dad got a new job in business, umm, oh, I have a pet turtle, and I have a passion for uh, annoying people."  
"And the song?"  
Richie frowned. "What?"  
"What's your song?"  
Richie bit his lip. "Uh... The Thong Song."  
The boy in the back, three seats away, giggled a little, and Richie smiled wider.  
"Uh.... okay. How about we hear from Miss, uh... Marsh, is it?"  
"Yeah." Her voice is quiet but firm, and Richie cranes his head to find where it came from.  
"Well, I'm Beverly Marsh, I like poetry, swimming in the quarry, reading, a bit.... my favourite song right now is probably 'In Between Days' by The Cure."  
Richie's ears perk up. Holy shit. Who is this girl?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> catch the turtle reference? ;)


	3. richie

After the meeting, Richie was planning to go up to Beverly, but another boy stopped him.  
"Hey, you're in my history class, right?"  
"Oh- yeah, I kinda recognize you."  
"I'm Mike. Mike Hanlon. Just wanted to y'know, say hi and welcome to the school."  
"Thanks. I'm Richie."  
Stan was standing by his chair, still, and Richie noticed him and gave an awkward wave.  
"So uh, I was gonna go off campus for lunch... I don't know, if you guys want to come with me, or..."  
"Sure!" Richie said. "Where?"

Ten minutes later, Richie Tozier, Stan Uris and Mike Hanlon sat around a booth in Breadstyx, laughing.  
"Wow, I could never get away with saying that to my dad. Quite literally, never."  
"Yeah well, I didn't want to move. I had friends, my school..." Richie's tone that had been happily telling the story of his reaction to his dad telling him about the move turned a bit sad.  
"Well, I'm glad you moved," Mike said, trying to lighten the mood again. "So we got to meet you. Right? Stan?"  
Stan looked up. "I'm still deciding," he said, but he was smiling.  
The door opened, and in stepped the girl from the glee club meeting. Beverly Marsh.  
"Hey!" Richie called out, and she turned in surprise, then hesitantly came closer to the table.  
"Mike, Stan," she said in recognition. "And... new guy?"  
"Richie. You should uh, sit with us, if you're not meeting anyone..."  
"No, I'm not, I don't really have any friends or anything." She said it flippantly as possible, but each of the boys recognised the loneliness underneath it.

By the end of lunch, Richie had three new numbers in his phone, and two inside jokes with Mike and Beverly, who, as it turned out, had the same history class as them both. Not so bad for his first day after all.


	4. ben

The next day, Ben Hanscom's bike wouldn't work.  
He was frustrated, because it was a bike.  
A bike didn't stop working.  
Then he noticed the slit in his tire. Sighing heavily, he left the bike and began the much longer walk to school.

First period was English, and Ben sat in the back, as always. He usually had his music on in class, but english was actually his best subject. He loved poetry, and he loved how poetry and music, another love of his, could intersect.  
They were learning about Shakespeare, and sonnets, and Ben was listening intently. Until he heard a laugh near the front of the room, and then turned to see a boy looking right at Ben, snickering. When he saw Ben looking, he pushed up his nose to make it look like a pig's.  
Ben's gaze dropped, and his cheeks burned. He was no stranger to bullying, playground jabs and insults. That didn't make it easier when it happened. He looked up again to see a girl on the opposite side from the boy looking at him. But not like the boy had been. More curiously. When the bell rang, Ben jumped to pack his things, and the girl walked over.  
"You were at the glee club meeting."  
Ben looked up, surprised. "Uh- y-yeah." Girls didn't usually talk to him. Especially beautiful, mysterious girls with hair like hers. Winter fire. January embers.  
"I'm Beverly."  
"Ben," Ben replied, pulling up his bag, everything now stuffed back in.  
"What do you have next period, Ben?"  
"I uh- science."  
"Cool. The science block is around where I'm headed. I'll go with you."  
They walked together, and were silent, but it was a comfortable silence, as birds chirped in the trees, leaves falling down.  
It looked like something out of a painting.  
When they reached the science block, Beverly tilted her head back, looking at Ben. "We should hang out sometime."  
Ben felt a strange mix of excited, and skeptical. Beverly could be doing this to mess with him. The thing was... it didn't look like she was. She seemed genuine. So Ben smiled, pushing back his doubt, and said, "I'd like that."

Science was long and painful, but Ben noticed the new boy- Richie- was sat next to him. He decided not to start any conversation, it'd be better than risking getting made fun of.  
But halfway through the lesson, the boy tapped Ben.  
"Hey," he whispered. "Can i borrow a pencil?"  
Ben froze for a second, then rushed himself to open his bag. "Yeah! Yeah. Hang on..." He pulled out a pencil and handed it to Richie, who smiled.  
"Thanks."  
They were quiet again, as the teacher explained biology, until Richie poked Ben with the pencil.  
"You never said your name. Or your song."  
"What?"  
"In glee club yesterday."  
"Oh! uh. I'm Ben. Ben Hanscom. And uh, I don't know, really."  
"You're always listening to music," Richie frowned, pointing the pencil towards Ben's headphones.  
"Yeah, I mean it's just... a lot y'know. Hard to pick a favourite."  
"Well what's the last thing you listened to?" Richie picked up Ben's iPod, and turned it on.  
"I-"  
"Oh, Darryl Hall and John Oates. Maneater. Good song," Richie nodded.  
Ben hesitated a second, then decided to risk a joke. "It's not quite Thong Song level but..."  
Richie snorted, and Ben grinned.  
"Mr Hanscom? Mr Tozier? Something to share with the class?" The teacher asked.  
"Oh- n-no, sorry," Ben said.  
It was weird to be told off for once. But it was kind of nice to have someone to talk to, and a reason for being told off.  
Ben decided right then, he was going to like Richie Tozier.


	5. bev

"I'm a lesbian."  
The words came out, quietly, but out, and Beverly Marsh frowned at her reflection in the mirror.  
She tried it again.  
"I'm a lesbian."  
"I'm gay." That was a bit better, but she was a long way off ever saying it to anyone else. She sighed and turned from the mirror, unlocked the bathroom door, and walked into her bedroom.  
Beverly had known she liked girls for a long time. Long before she moved to Ohio to live with her father, and long before her father's abuse.  
She had kind of assumed she might like boys too, but had finally come to the conclusion that she was a lesbian. Great.  
Being gay in a small town would not be easy. And ever meeting another gay person, much less a gay girl, was a far off dream. Maybe one for college, or later even, but not now.  
She flopped onto her bed, and studied her pictures on her wall.  
She had a slightly faded newspaper clipping of Alanis Morissette, an actual magazine mini poster of Winona Ryder, and a poem.  
Beverly had always believed your room says exactly who you are as a person. So far, she didn't have much personality in her room. But then, she also wasn't sure of her own personality. She needed to find herself, somehow, sometime.  
Her phone buzzed, and she grabbed it, opening it.  
It was a text from Richie Tozier.  
"Want 2 com 2 th creek? stan n mike r coming !"  
It was a saturday, so Beverly decided it couldn't hurt. She then suddenly remembered Ben Hanscom, and opened her messages again. She'd gotten Ben's number on thursday, and she sent him a quick text, then stood up, getting ready to go. She crept out, and thank all the gods, her father was passed out in the living room. She got out the door, and made her way to the quarry, a destination she was very familiar with.

When she arrived, Stan, Mike and Richie were all standing on the cliff, with two other boys, one of whom Beverly vaguely recognised. Will maybe?  
"Hey," Stan said. "I uh, invited a couple of friends- Eddie, and Bill."  
Bill, Beverly thought. Close enough.  
"Cool. I invited Ben Hanscom."  
As if on cue, Ben came walking to the group, looking surprised by the amount of people.  
"Hey."  
"Hey! This is Stan, Mike and Richie from glee club-" Richie grinned at Ben and waved, who smiled back- "and uh-"  
"B-bill Denbrough."  
"Eddie. Kaspbrak." 

It didn't take long for the whole group to be in the quarry, laughing together and splashing. Beverly sat still in the water for a second, watching all the others. Eddie and Stan were splashing each other, while Richie had climbed on Ben's shoulders, and Mike laughed at them.  
"Bev! Come over!" Richie laughed, splashing Mike with his feet, and Beverly smiled.  
So she did.


	6. mike

Mike had two cans of energy drink, three wrappers for gum, and an hour to finish his english essay.  
Yet he sat there, still staring at the laptop screen. Eventually, it went black, and he had to move the mouse again.  
It wasn't that he didn't like english, or that he wasn't good at it. He was just... preoccupied.  
Mike had never felt that raw, happy chemistry he felt at the quarry, and it was like a drug. He wanted more. He wanted to have movie nights, and sleepovers, and camping trips, and everything he was never invited to as a kid.  
Mike was far from the only black kid at Mckinley, unlike at his primary school, but he still felt isolated. The majority of his classes were indifferent to Mike entirely. Except for these amazing new people. And Mike needed to see them again. But until then, duty called. And his current duty was to finish a 500 word essay on Hamlet.

The next day, Mike walked into school differently to how he usually had. He knew he had Beverly and Richie in his history class, and there was a glee club meeting fourth period. He had also examined his timetable with Stan and figured out that they had the same study periods, so he was looking forward to it. First period was english, and his teacher gave him a nod as he walked in. He had managed to submit the essay on time, and he may not have put all of his effort into it, but most likely enough for a passing grade.  
Second perid was history, and he walked to class excited, yet nervous. Maybe Beverly and Richie wouldn't want to talk inside of school. He entered and saw Beverly's eyes light up, waving at him. She'd taken a row for him, her and Richie, who was tapping his pen against the desk. Mike sat, and listened to Richie's dirty jokes, and complaints about the weekend, and told Beverly and Richie about his essay. The teacher arrived, and class started, but Richie tapped Mike and Beverly simultaneously, being in between them.  
"What?" Beverly whispered.  
"We should do something this weekend!"  
Mike felt his chest warm up. "I'm free."  
"Awesome! You wanna come over to mine?"  
Before Mike could answer, the teacher gave them all a warning glance, and Richie rolled his eyes, continuing to tap his pen.

At study period, Stan and Mike decided to go to the school fields, near some trees. While it was a study period, people rarely did studying in the allocated times- except, evidently, for Stan Uris. Mike pulled out his Spanish notes, which were surpringly good, given that he had Mr Schuester as his terrible Spanish teacher, and highlighted some words. Eventually, Stan put his textbook down and looked at Mike.  
Mike looked up. "What?"  
"We should do something. Go somewhere. Breadstyx is open."  
Mike grinned and pushed his notes into his bag. "I'm up for it."


	7. eddie

Eddie had been surviving hiding in the back of Glee club without saying anything for a week now, but the group's first assignment was coming up.  
Duets.  
Eddie was awkward enough singing on his own, but a duet? Where he'd have to fully trust a partner and be completely vulnerable?   
He couldn't do that- he'd never been properly vulnerable with anyone- panicked, yes, but never completely open.   
He walked into the choir room slowly, and saw that only Stan and Mike were there yet, huddled together over a book.   
They'd probably do the duets together, Eddie mused to himself. Ben and Beverly would probably go together too, they'd been spending more time together.   
That left... Richie Tozier.   
Who always made Eddie feel slightly strange, he'd chalked it up to him being the new kid. He was funny, annoying as hell at times, but he was kind too- the other day Eddie had seen him glare at someone who made a rude comment when Ben walked past.   
Of course, there were other members, but none Eddie knew by name- and he'd rather stutter like Bill around Richie, than die of embarrassment in front of some of the other kids.   
Beverly entered the room, a bag swaying by her side, Ben following a few steps behind. Soon enough more people filed in, Richie last as usual. 

"Alright!" Mr Schuester said, clapping his hands, "Duets!" He pointed to the chalkboard, where the word was written. "Who can tell me what a duet is?"  
Richie put his hand up. "A blanket?"  
"...No! Someone else?"  
"It's when two people sing together, commonly a love song," a girl in the back said, linking fingers with the boy next to her.  
"Well, yeah, but! A duet doesn't have to be a love song!" As he said that he added it under "Duet" on the board. "Can someone give me an example of a popular duet?"  
"I Got You Babe, by Sonny and Cher?" Stan said.  
"Yeah, that's a good one Stanley! Anyone else?"  
"Breaking Free from High School Musical," someone in the back called out.  
"The Girl is Mine!"  
"Stop Dragging My Heart Around, Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks!"  
"Okay, okay!" Mr Schue raised his arms in a surrender position. "Not all at once! Yes, those are all good examples of a duet. And, to start things off, I'm having a special guest join me to show you how it's done!"  
Half the class groaned, as a blonde lady came into the room.   
"William! SO good to see you, darlin'!"  
"Kids, this is April Rhodes! April, these are the kids!"  
"Hello! So good to meet y'all, William's been tellin' me all about ya! I LOVE your scarf," she added, to a surprised girl in the back.  
"You ready?" Mr Schue asked her, and she tipped her head back, smiling.   
"Oh honey, I was BORN ready."   
Music started and the pair launched into a cover of 'You're the One that I Want,' Eddie covering his ears.


	8. bill & stan

It was Saturday, and Bill and Stan were in Stan's living room, watching movies.   
They were about halfway into Jurassic Park: The Lost World, Bill scarfing down popcorn, when he paused the movie, and asked the question Stan had been dreading for two weeks.  
"So, where do you go during free period on Thursdays?"  
Bill had expressed interest in Stan's extracurricular activities, and in all his new friends, but never asked outright, so Stan never had to lie.   
He took a breath.   
"Uh. It's Glee club?"  
They sat for a second, then Bill shrugged and stuffed more popcorn in his mouth. "Cool."  
They sat in silence through the rest of the movie, and as Stan was about to pop in Back to the Future, Bill said, "I didn't know you were into that."  
"Into what?"  
"Singing."  
"Yeah. Well." Stan hoped he'd leave it at that, but Bill seemed to be waiting.  
"It's... kinda a whole community thing, you know. Like, we all get together, learn about music, each other, and sing sometimes."  
"Right," Bill said, and Stan sighed a little in relief.   
He turned to put the DVD in, and then Bill added, "Could i join?"  
Stan paused.  
He loved Bill, of course. He was also beginning to love the glee club kids. And while, yes, they'd all hung out at the Quarry, he wasn't sure how to mesh those two groups together.   
What if Bill hated Richie and his quick banter and your-mom jokes? What if Mike found Bill's love for turtles annoying? What if Beverly and Bill didn't get along?  
But at the end of the day... he loved Bill. And he sort of loved Stan, Richie, Ben and Bev too.   
So he breathed out again and said, "Sure."


	9. bev

The music started up as Scarf Girl and her boyfriend tipped their heads back, doing dance moves not much different to that of a peacock.  
"You were working as a waitress in a cocktail baaaar, when I met youu."  
Beverly winced. She loved The Human League as much as the next gay, but wow. Straights had to ruin everything, huh?  
She glanced back and saw Eddie, his face in his hands, and stifled a laugh. She knew Eddie was particularly fond of 80s pop. Which, in Beverly's mind made him potentially gay too- that, and the glances she saw lingering on Richie Tozier.  
As the couple finished their song, Mr Schuester burst into applause.  
"YES! Now THAT is what I'm talking ABOUT, everyone give these guys a round of APPLAUSE!"  
It was in that moment that Beverly knew, without a doubt, that William Schuester was a heterosexual.

After Glee, Ben caught up with Beverly, and they walked out to lunch together. Beverly heard frantic footsteps and turned in confusion, seeing Lauren Ramirez, a small latina girl in Glee club, racing over with a phone in her hand.  
"Sorry but uh! I think you left this behind?"  
Beverly stepped forward and looked at the phone, frowning slightly.  
"Wow! I didn't even notice I left it behind! Thank you!"  
"It's no problem, I just noticed and. I know I'd be gutted if I left my phone behind so..."  
"Yeah. Well, thank you." Beverly and Lauren were both just smiling now, and Ben looked on in confusion.  
"Uh.... do you wanna get lunch with us?"  
Lauren turned, startled. "Oh! Yeah!" She smiled at Ben, who smiled back, and the three started off to Breadstyx. 

That night, Beverly kept her phone by her side as she got texts.  
BEN: hey bev!! just wanted to thank you for shouting us drinks today! :)  
LAUREN: hey :) I really enjoyed lunch, thank you. x  
Beverly smiled a little and began a reply to Lauren, first.  
BEVERLY: No problem! You should hang out with us again sometime!  
LAUREN: definitely! x  
Beverly's heart pounded a little. She knew girls liked to be cute with each other and send 'x's but this felt... different. At least to her. Then again, she'd never really had any girl friends, or friends in general.  
She sighed and put her phone away.


	10. mike & stan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> song: everytime we touch by cascada

Stan wasn't exactly an experienced romantic, but even he could admit that his proposal to sing a duet with Mike could have gone better.   
They had a study period, and Mike was looking over bio notes, and then Stan just blurted it out.  
"Youwannadotheduetforgleewithme."  
Mike paused and looked over.   
"....What."  
"The duet for Glee. Would you want to. Do that with me?"  
"Sure. What'll we do?"  
Stan bit his lip and tried to think of a cool duet he and Mike could do.  
"Uh."  
Mike smiled and flipped his folder shut. "Do you think we can turn a solo into a duet?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Like, take a song that's a solo but make it a duet."  
"Huh. That... could work. What do you have in mind?"

"Mike and Stan! Let's hear it for these two," Mr Schuester grinned, and they got up and took their places. Stan looked at Mike nervously, and he smiled reassuringly.   
The music started, and Mike started his part.  
"I still hear your voice when you sleep next to me  
I still feel your touch in my dream  
Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why  
Without you it's hard to survive."  
Stan took a deep breath as Mike finished the line, then joined in.  
"'Cause everytime we touch, I get this feeling  
And everytime we kiss, I swear I could fly  
Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last  
Need you by my side  
'Cause everytime we touch, I feel the static  
And everytime we kiss, I reach for the sky  
Can't you hear my heart beat so...  
I can't let you go  
Want you in my life."  
Richie was headbanging in the audience, Eddie glaring at him, then turning to watch Mike and Stan, looking much more excited than he had been over the last performance.  
Stan started his verse, feeling a lot more fired up, and when the song ended, the room burst into applause. Stan looked over at Mike, who was grinning, in a way he had only seen him smile once before- at the Quarry with the others. Stan found his gaze lingering, and when Mike turned to look at him, he cleared his throat and turned away.


	11. ben

Ben takes a deep breath. "It's cool, dude. Just chill. It's just. A duet." 

He pauses. "With a girl." Ben stares at his reflection in the mirror, feeling somewhat like Jake Gyllenhaal about to lose his mind in Nightcrawler.

"Damn it," he mutters under his breath. No way he has the muscles Jake does.

At 5:30, Beverly shows up to rehearse, and Ben is somewhat more controlled. He figures Beverly will want to do some girly love song, but she's googling the lyrics to some Tom Petty song. Interesting.

"Have we decided on a song yet?" Ben asks, and Beverly glances up.

"Well, I'm kinda interested in this," She says, and starts playing a song. Ben listens, his foot tapping, breaking into a grin.

"You're on."

Ben and Beverly enter the choir room like professionals, Ben nodding to the drummers in the back. He feels super bad-ass.

Beverly is wearing leather jeans and a tank shirt, eyeliner on, and a pair of boots, and Ben takes his last thought back. Beverly's bad-ass.

"Baby, you'll come knocking on my front door

Same old line you used to use before

I said ya, well

What am I supposed to do

I didn't know what I was getting into." Beverly sings into the microphone like the song was written for her.

Ben braces himself to join in on the chorus.

"So you've had a little trouble in town

Now you're keeping some demons down

Stop draggin' my

Stop draggin' my

Stop draggin' my heart around."

In the audience, Richie is grinning, and Mike is giving them a thumbs up. Eddie is tapping his foot, but looking over at Mike and Richie, and Stan is rolling his eyes at him. What's that about?

"Baby, you could never look me in the eye

Yeah, you buckle with the weight of the words

Stop draggin' my Stop draggin' my

Stop draggin' my heart around." Ben and Beverly finish on a burst of energy, and everyone starts clapping immediately.

"Hm," Mr Schuester says. "That was nice, but I got a bit too much of a punk vibe from you, Beverly, perhaps a dress-" "You were amazing, and Bev, you look awesome," Stan cuts in, and Mr Schue's face falls a little. "Okay, well! Looking forward to the last lot of duets- Eddie and Richie?" Ben notices Eddie's face go red, and suddenly it dawns on him. Oh. He then notices that Lauren is beaming at Beverly, who is also red. _Oh._


	12. bill

It's late into the semester, but why not try out for Glee Club? Bill thinks to himself, pushing the door open.  
Everyone's in their seats, with Mr Schuester talking in front of them.  
"So remember guys, singing HAS to be-" He stops and sees Bill.  
"Oh! Who are you?"  
In the seats, Bill hears Richie say "Owo who's this" to Eddie, who punches him in the arm.  
"B-bill Denbrough. I w-want to try out f-for Glee?"  
In the back, someone giggles and whispers to their friend.  
"S-S-stutter much?"  
A boy sitting in front of them, who Bill's seen Stan hanging out with, turns and glares at them.  
"Okay, well! We always need new members, so Uh, show us what you got!"  
Bill frowns. "W-wait. Now?"  
"Yeah, why not?"  
Bill raises his eyebrows, then shakes his head. What the hell.  
"Okay."  
Richie and Eddie start clapping, and Bill smiles as Mr Schuester moves to the side.   
Bill is a capella, but he knows the beat. He's poured his soul into this song before.

"Won't you come see about me?  
I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby  
Tell me your troubles and doubts  
Giving me everything inside and out and  
Love's strange so real in the dark  
Think of the tender things that we were working on  
Slow change may pull us apart  
When the light gets into your heart, baby  
Don't You Forget About Me  
Don't Don't Don't Don't  
Don't You Forget About Me."

His eyes are closed, he's feeling something he only lets himself feel when he's alone. Or with him.  
"As you walk on by  
Will you call my name?  
As you walk on by  
Will you call my name?  
When you walk away  
Or will you walk away?  
Will you walk on by?  
Come on - call my name  
Will you call my name?"  
His voice fades out, and everyone is silent, until the clapping. It starts with Eddie and Richie, then the guy who stood up for Bill, then a girl with a scarf, and Mr Schuester is smiling and saying "Welcome to Glee Club!"  
But he isn't listening, he's just looking at the one person whose opinion matters most.   
And Stan is sitting there, amongst the clapping, and staring.


	13. stan

Stan runs out of the choir room after the bell rings.  
No.  
He heard how Bill's voice broke as he sang the last lines, how he looked at him afterwards.  
He couldn't do this.   
Not after the years of Stan's stares being rejected by the knowledge that they're 'just friends.'  
Not after Bill had made it clear he'd never want Stan.  
Not after Stan was starting to repair his heart, and starting to have feelings for someone new.  
Bill didn't have the right to do this to him.  
Stan tried to tell himself, it was just a look, to see what his best friend thought of his audition. It was just him thinking about some girl, that made his voice crack with genuine feeling during those lines. But he knew what it was, and what it meant. Beverly stopped him just by the lockers.  
"Stan. What's wrong?"  
She isn't oozing fake sympathy, she looks like someone who... understands.  
Stan tries not to break down, but it's hard, and Beverly notices, and grabs his hand.   
"Hey, it's okay. Let's head down to the river, yeah?"

After Stan chokes out the truth- him falling for Bill, Bill finding out and things only recently being normal again, Mike, and now this- Beverly is quiet for a second.  
Then she speaks.  
"Stan, you know I won't tell anyone. But you have to not tell anyone this."  
She takes a deep breath, one that Stan had taken in front of the mirror for years, trying to make it sound okay, real.  
"I'm gay too."

Beverly and Stan head back to Stan's place after school, and on the way, they stop in at a supermarket, and Beverly buys a tub of ice cream.  
"You have spoons, right?"  
Stan almost laughs. "Yes."  
They sit outside, on the porch, and Stan's head is a little clearer now.   
They sit in silence for a while, then eventually Beverly laughs a little.  
"What?"  
"I should have known earlier. I used to watch Kim Possible for hours."  
Stan smiles, in that way you can only smile when someone understands.   
"I had the biggest crush on Daniel Radcliffe."  
"Nooo," Beverly laughs, "That's tragic."  
"Well, you probably liked Hermione."  
"Ginny," Beverly shoots back, smiling too.  
The sun is on their outstretched legs, melting the ice cream that's left in the tub.  
And they're officially wlw\mlm solidarity.


	14. mike & stan

On saturday, Stan biked over to Mike's house. They'd made plans to do studying together, but Stan had another reason.  
After telling Bev, he felt like it was time to tell people- not everyone, just people he could trust.   
Mike's smile took over his face as he opened the door, eyes bright, and Stan's heart jumped in his chest.   
"Hey," Mike grinned.  
"Hey," Stan managed.   
The idea of coming out to Mike was easier as a hypothetical.  
They went up to Mike's room, where some music Stan didn't recognise was playing.   
"Sorry, it's a mess."  
Stan glanced around the near spotless room. "It's fine."  
"I'm glad you came," Mike smiled, "Because I'd actually... made something for you."  
Stan felt his blush spread over his cheeks, as Mike pulled out a cd in a blank slip.   
"Oh, wow," he said, as Mike handed it over. It didn't say anything on the disc, but the slip had a smiley face drawn on it. It was adorable.  
"If you want we could..." Mike gestured to the cd player.  
Stan stared- was Mike blushing too?  
Stan and Mike sat on the floor as the mix began- Just Like Heaven, by the Cure.  
"I love this song," Stan said quietly, and Mike looked over, smiling slightly.   
"Me too."  
Stan pretended to be examining his bio notes, ever so often sneaking a glance at Mike- who was often glancing over too.  
As the song ended, Mike cleared his throat. "I-"  
"I wanted to tell you something," Stan blurted out.  
"Oh! Okay."  
Stan set his gaze on the cd player as Sweet Creature by Harry Styles started up.  
"I'm gay."  
There was silence for a moment, and Stan finally risked looking up. Mike was smiling a little, twisting the hem of his jeans with his fingers.  
"Me too."  
Stan felt the blood rush to his face again. "You are?"  
"Yeah. Well, bi technically, but. Yeah."  
Stan felt a little smile creeping onto his face, and paused. What he did next could change everything. He glanced at Mike again, and then slowly moved his hand over, to cover Mike's. Mike closed his eyes and smiled, then opened his eyes to sing directly to Stan:  
"You bring me home."


	15. richie & eddie

Eddie turned over in bed again as his phone went off.   
PING!  
PING!  
PING!  
Eventually he groaned and reached across his bedside table to check it.   
Exactly what he'd thought.

Richie, 6:48 AM: Hey buddo  
Richie, 6:49 AM: hey????  
Richie, 6:49 AM: you thereeeee

Another text went through.

Richie, 6:50 AM: are we still meeting to rehearse?????

Eddie sighs. Every time he thinks he's getting used to the weird feelings Richie gives him, he makes it worse.

Eddie, 6:51 AM: yeah, i'll be over at 8  
Richie, 6:51 AM: ? cant go to urs  
Eddie, 6:52 AM: my mom.  
Richie, 6:53 AM: ? ok

When Eddie gets to Richie's house, his parents' cars are in the driveway.  
Mr Tozier answers the door, smiling.  
"Ah, you must be Eddie. Heard a lot about you! Come in!"  
Heard a lot about him?? What the hell? Eddie wants to say, but then Richie finally comes down from the stairs, stupid glasses, stupid hair, stupid cute face...  
"You ready?"  
"Uh, yeah," Eddie stammers, and they go into the lounge to practice.   
They've been fighting about their song choice for a week now- Richie really wants Africa by Toto, to which Eddie gave a hard 'No', but Richie's argument is "Do you have anything better?"  
Which he doesn't.   
Halfway through arguing, Mrs Tozier brings through a tray of cookies, and Eddie is amazed by her kindness, so unlike his mother.   
Richie notices him staring and being in his thoughts, but doesn't say anything, just swallows a bite of a cookie and then smiles at him.  
And Eddie smiles back.


	16. richie & eddie, part 2

The opening music was almost deafening, and everyone placed it immediately, except for the boring heterosexuals- the iconic, legendary, godlike synths, the beat of the drum that sent them to another spiritual dimension, as well as strengthening the homosexuality levels of everyone in the room.  
Eddie stepped out first, sunglasses on, which was Richie's idea of how to keep him from being self conscious.  
He took a breath and started to sing.

"I hear the drums echoing tonight  
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation  
She's coming in twelve-thirty flight  
Her moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me toward salvation."

He looked back, suddenly realising Richie hadn't come out yet.  
Suddenly, he heard his voice start to sing, and looked around in confusion, trying to place it.

"I stopped an old man along the way  
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies  
He turned to me as if to say,  
"Hurry, boy, it's waiting there for you.""

Richie arrived in Eddie's line of sight, eyes looking right into his, and Eddie nearly forgot how to breathe, much less sing.

"It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you  
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do  
I bless the rains down in Africa  
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had."

They stood smiling at each other for a moment, and Eddie nearly forgot how exhausting this boy could be, until, of course, Richie, not breaking eye contact, raised his arms to dab, then face the others again.

"The wild dogs cry out in the night  
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company  
I know that I must do what's right  
Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti."

It was Eddie's line now, and he took a breath, trying to sound careless in his delivery of a lyric that made him ache inside.

"I seek to cure what's deep inside  
Frightened of this thing that I've become."

He turns back to Richie to join in the chorus. 

"It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you  
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do  
I bless the rains down in Africa  
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had."

The life-changing music faded out, and it was like a light switched on suddenly. Eddie coughed a little and looked down, embarrassed. But then Richie grabbed his arm, and made him do a bow, making the rest of the club laugh. Eddie blushed, and when they went to sit back down he glared at Richie, who just grinned back. As he always did. And deep down, Eddie felt his heart skip a beat, like it always did.


	17. will schuester

Will was confused. He had thought that the plan of duets would make some potential couples in the group, but so far it was mostly boys with boys.   
He had the greatest idea, and smiled. If he deliberately brought up romance, it would be sure to create drama and sparks flying between the students.   
And Will Schuester was all about creating tension that was unnecessary, lowkey manipulating students, and pretending that it made him a good person\teacher.

"Okay guys," Will said, slapping the whiteboard. "This week's theme? Romance!"  
The students looked bored.  
"When I say romance, what do you guys think of?"   
"Uhhhhhhhhhh hamburger."  
"No, Richie, I mean romantic love, between a man and woman."  
"What?" Everyone looked even more confused than ever.   
"Well, I brought a special guest to help you guys learn about love."   
Before everyone could tell him to stop, the lights went out, with only dim lamps on, which for some reason were in the room.  
As music started up, Emma, Will's wife, came out, dressed, for some reason, in her wedding dress.  
Will stayed wearing his vest, and reached out to Emma, love in his eyes (maybe.)   
Some slow, heterosexual song played, and everyone zoned out for 3 minutes.  
"See guys? Love can be beautiful."  
Beverly frowned and whispered to Stan. "But isn't love gay culture?"


End file.
